Published: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 12:05 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 12:05 p.m.

Detectives have found a gun they suspect was used to murder a woman in Florida and wound the man who confessed to the crime.

According to Henderson County deputies, 23-year-old Ryan Doyle “apparently shot himself” and tossed the gun out of his truck’s window as he fled through South Carolina to a relative’s home in Kentucky.

Detectives say Doyle confessed to killing 24-year-old Lora Fischer of Orlando, Fla., who was found dead in her apartment around 10 p.m. Sunday by police who dropped by on a health and welfare check.

Authorities searched S.C. Highway 11 Monday night between Burnt Chimney and Prison Camp roads in the Campobello, S.C., area where they suspected the murder weapon, a small black semi-automatic .380 pistol, and other items might have been discarded.

“The weapon was located early this morning by Spartanburg County authorities. Other articles of clothing Doyle stated he threw from the (driver’s side) window of his truck have also been recovered,” said Capt. Frank Stout, spokesman for the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office.

Detectives were called to Park Ridge Health around 1:30 a.m. Monday to investigate a gunshot wound. There, investigators found Doyle, who had walked into the emergency room for treatment. The man with the gunshot wound turned out to be a murder suspect on the run.

“After inconsistencies in Doyle’s story, investigators were still able to determine that Mr. Doyle was in route from Orlando, Fla., to Kentucky. Henderson County investigators contacted Orlando authorities and presented them with information received from Mr. Doyle and were able to link him to an active homicide investigation there,” Stout said.

“During Mr. Doyle’s interview with investigators from the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, he confessed to the murder of Lora Fischer in Orlando. Mr. Doyle has cooperated with investigators in North Carolina and Spartanburg County, S.C.,” Stout said.

Doyle was booked into the Henderson County Detention Center on a fugitive warrant from Florida. No bond was set and he is awaiting extradition on the murder charge. Orlando authorities are in Henderson County now, and the investigation continues.

<p>Detectives have found a gun they suspect was used to murder a woman in Florida and wound the man who confessed to the crime. </p><p>According to Henderson County deputies, 23-year-old Ryan Doyle “apparently shot himself” and tossed the gun out of his truck's window as he fled through South Carolina to a relative's home in Kentucky.</p><p>Detectives say Doyle confessed to killing 24-year-old Lora Fischer of Orlando, Fla., who was found dead in her apartment around 10 p.m. Sunday by police who dropped by on a health and welfare check.</p><p>Authorities searched S.C. Highway 11 Monday night between Burnt Chimney and Prison Camp roads in the Campobello, S.C., area where they suspected the murder weapon, a small black semi-automatic .380 pistol, and other items might have been discarded. </p><p>“The weapon was located early this morning by Spartanburg County authorities. Other articles of clothing Doyle stated he threw from the (driver's side) window of his truck have also been recovered,” said Capt. Frank Stout, spokesman for the Henderson County Sheriff's Office.</p><p>Detectives were called to Park Ridge Health around 1:30 a.m. Monday to investigate a gunshot wound. There, investigators found Doyle, who had walked into the emergency room for treatment. The man with the gunshot wound turned out to be a murder suspect on the run.</p><p>“After inconsistencies in Doyle's story, investigators were still able to determine that Mr. Doyle was in route from Orlando, Fla., to Kentucky. Henderson County investigators contacted Orlando authorities and presented them with information received from Mr. Doyle and were able to link him to an active homicide investigation there,” Stout said. </p><p>“During Mr. Doyle's interview with investigators from the Henderson County Sheriff's Office, he confessed to the murder of Lora Fischer in Orlando. Mr. Doyle has cooperated with investigators in North Carolina and Spartanburg County, S.C.,” Stout said. </p><p>Doyle was booked into the Henderson County Detention Center on a fugitive warrant from Florida. No bond was set and he is awaiting extradition on the murder charge. Orlando authorities are in Henderson County now, and the investigation continues.</p><p>Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>